Recent Acquisitions

By Werner Trieschmann. Look out, our band of lovable yet impossibly inept thespians are onstage again in All I Really Need to Know I Learned by Being in a Bad Murder Mystery. Last time, we saw our collection of bad actors and actresses in All I Really Need to Know I Learned by Being in a Bad Play. In that comic disaster, they butchered Romeo and Juliet, performing the timeless classic by Shakespeare in a Starbucks while wearing potato sacks and bowler hats. This time, our terrible troupe takes on the genre that will not diethe murder mystery!More...

By Daniel Arnold and Medina Hahn. The writers/performers of the international hit Tuesdays & Sundays are back with a gothic and contemporary romantic mystery. When Anna, a troubled modern dancer struggling with the death of her mother, moves into a new basement suite for solace and solitude, she finds herself drawn into a tender relationship with Patrick, the helpful young man living above her. But why is she suffering violent behavior in her sleep? As her night terrors and sleepwalking intensify, both she and Patrick are sent down a spiral of fear and are soon caught in fracturing timelinesMore...

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By Carlos Murillo. In Augusta and Noble, we meet Gabi, a 12-year-old girl who has lived her whole life amid a vibrant Latino community in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. Gabi is starting high school across the city at Northside College Prep, where she is quickly exposed to new people and possibilities. As Gabi begins asking questionsMore...

By Moses Goldberg. Set in a Jewish community in 19th-century Poland and based on a medieval Jewish folktale, the play asks the question, "Can girls be as smart as boys?" Rachel lives with her family in their small bakery and inn and has acquired a reputation as a clever girl who can figure out answers to the most challenging riddles. But the traditional roles of men and women don't allow for women to be intellectuals. Her father believes in herMore...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

By Stephen Gregg. Welcome to Pin Cushion, California: population 791 and falling fast. Pin Cushion High School Drama has reached its final-ever production: Our Town. Despite never having once gotten a part, Bark Melon16 and delightfully goofy despite some recent hard timesis convinced that he's going to get a lead. But Bark's audition goes awry whenMore...

By Elizabeth Lovelady. Based on the screenplay by Russel Rouse and Clarence Greene. Frank Bigelow walks into a police station to report a murder: his own. One day earlier, the small-time accountant kissed his girlfriend and secretary, Paula, goodbye and left on a trip to San Francisco with mysterious intentions. Shortly after he arrives, he's invited to join a group of rowdy businessmen celebrating with their clients after a successful market week. After a wild night of drinking at jazz clubs with sexy women, he wakes feeling ill. A doctor and detective arrive to deliver tragic newsBigelow has been poisoned,More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

Story, book and lyrics by Jonathan Gillard Daly. Music by Larry Delinger and Gregg Coffin.The Daly News is a musical memoir about love and distance between fathers and sons. The source material is Martin J. Daly's World War II-era newsletter The Daly News, written from 1943 to 1946 and distributed to Martin's children, who were scattered all over the globe in the service of their country. The story of the play derives from letters from the home front, as well as missives from the boys overseas. Throughout the play, a contemporary character, Martin's grandson, Jon, relates personal remembrancesMore...

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Music by Russ Kaplan. Lyrics by Sara Wordsworth. Book by Russ Kaplan and Sara Wordsworth. Take a rockin' and whimsical journey into the mind of math whiz Susan Fisher in this off-Broadway Alliance-nominated musical comedy. It's 1954, and 12-year-old Susan is a star math student who wants to get a fresh start at her new junior high school by reinventing herself as a "cool kid." But she soon discovers it won't be easy … especially when an imaginary Albert Einstein starts following her around!More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

By Brett Neveu. The black-and-white morality of superheroes is turned on its head in this ode to the modern action/comic book genre mixed with the dark humor of a gumshoe noir. Introducing the world to crime-fighter The Fantastic Phenomenon (the hero) and his arch nemesis Supernova (the villain), a detective searches for the killer of superhero super-fans while trying to understand his own oddly formal relationship to The Fantastic Phenomenon.More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. Scripts should be available: mid-December.A $35.00 pre-publication manuscript is available.Add Manuscript To Cart.

By James Hindman. For the past 16 years, Rob Chalmers, the head of the drama department at Chippewa Valley High School, has given his blood, sweat and tears to make his department #1 in the region. Determined to win best musical in the state of Kansas, Rob announces his fall production, Seussical, casting a talented newcomer, David, and a local favorite, Greg Barnes. Rob even fights for a massive state grant to build a new auditorium, and he gets it.More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

By Mark D. Kaufmann As one critic describes the recent premiere at the Denver Center Theatre, "Watching the play uncoil like a spring is a delight. Very quickly the audience is seduced into believing its assortment of improbable characters. One of these is a tycoon corporate raider named Douglas Jensen who has patterned his life on a very simple principle: virtues like honor and respectability don't work. So he doesn't use them.More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. A $35.00 pre-publication manuscript is available.Add Manuscript To Cart.

By Victoria Sayeg. Everyone loves a good crop circlethat is, everyone but world-renowned peanut planter Farmer Carter. This fine farmer is devastated to learn his entire year's yield of peanuts has been damaged by someoneor somethingjust a day before the circus comes to town! With the help of his wife, Eleanor, and their junk-food-addicted twin daughters, Farmer Carter hires a private investigator to get to the bottom of this perplexing peanut puzzle.More...

Adapted by Joseph Robinette. Based on the book Can This Be Christmas? by Debbie Macomber. On Christmas Eve, during a snowstorm, a group of strangers are on a train to Boston from Bangor, Maine, where the airport had been shut down due to the weather. Once they reach Boston, many of the passengers hope to make connections to various destinations across the United States. The travelers have desires to reach their destinations in time for Christmas. However, the train develops engine trouble, and there are track problems ahead. The passengers are suddenly forced to disembark and take shelter in a small depot in New Hampshire. Understandably disappointed and dispirited, they try to make the best of things with little success at first.More...

Adapted by Eric Coble from the Newbery Award-winning book by Lois Lowry. Jonas' world is perfect. Everything is under control and safe. There is no war or fear or pain. There are also no choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. But when Jonas turns 12, he is chosen for special training from The Giver—to receive and keep the memories of the community. The Giver is the only person who holds the memories of real pain and real joy. Now Jonas will learn the truth about life—and the hypocrisy of his utopian world.More...

By David S. Craig. Carolyn has one evening to cook a three-course turkey dinner, make peace with her parents, get married in her grandmother's dress and hide the fact that she's in labor. What could possibly go wrong?More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

Script, music and lyrics by Chad Henry. Adapted from the books by Betty MacDonald.Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle! brings the uproarious stories of Betty MacDonald and her heroine, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, to the musical stage. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle lives on the outskirts of town with her parrot, Penelope, in an upside-down house built by her husband, a piratea house which is usually overrun with children playing, painting, digging in the yard, playing dress-up, and generally having a wonderful time. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle loves children, and she especially loves helping children and families who are having such difficulties asMore...

Adapted by Jon Jory. Based on The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie Who poisoned the wealthy Emily Inglethorpe, and how did the murderer penetrate and escape her locked bedroom? The brilliant detective Hercule Poirot makes his debut in Jon Jory's dynamic adaptation of Agatha Christie's first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Poirot, a Belgian refugee of the Great War, is settling in an English village near the country manor of Emily Inglethorp, a friend who assisted him in starting a new life. When Emily is killed, Poirot uses his skills to solve the mystery of who killed her. Plot twists and red herrings abound in this fast-paced, dynamic and engaging new adaptation.More...

By Jon Jory. In I'm Whispering at the Top of My Voice, a young woman is given a warehouse full of money by a genie on a beach, a cheerleader leads cheers for her mother while she hooks rugs, an activist dresses up as the Statue of Liberty to bring world peace, three zombies form a girl-group, and a girl does away with a serial killer at her prom.More...

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By Philip Grecian. This version is the only authorized stage adaptation of Charles Sheldon's best-selling novel. It was commissioned by Sheldon's church, Central Congregational, where it was first written in 1897. In the summer of 1895 in Raymond, Kansas, a tramp knocks at Reverend Henry Maxwell's door looking for work. With regret, Maxwell turns him away, but the tramp's visit has inspired Sunday's sermon from 1 Peter 2:21: "For hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that ye should follow in His steps."More...

Adapted by Joseph Robinette. From the book by Debbie Macomber. Jo Marie Rose, widowed as a young woman, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her purchase of the Inn at Rose Harbor, a local bed-and-breakfast in the town of Cedar Cove, Washington. She has invited many of her former guests (us, the audience) to join her as she reminisces about her early days as owner of the inn.More...

Book and lyrics by Karen Zacarías. Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma. Jane is an ordinary girl, complete with a really nice mom and a bratty little brother, Milo. But Jane and her best friend, Kayla, are on the verge of some big changes. Middle school is looming, and that is both exciting and a little scary. And what could be a better way to end the summer than getting a pretty purple letter in the mail inviting them to very popular Nicolette Miller's "Too-Cool-Almost-Middle-School-All-Girl-Party"?More...

Book and lyrics by Karen Zacarías. Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma. Jane is an ordinary girl, complete with a really nice mom and a bratty little brother, Milo. But Jane and her best friend, Kayla, are on the verge of some big changes. Middle school is looming, and that is both exciting and a little scary. And what could be a better way to end the summer than getting a pretty purple letter in the mail inviting them to very popular Nicolette Miller's "Too-Cool-Almost-Middle-School-All-Girl-Party"?More...

By Darrah Cloud. When Joan D'Arc, a shepherd in Domremy, France, 1420s, hears a voice while tending sheep one day, she can't believe whatand whomshe's hearing. But the voice is joined by others who claim they're saints and ask her to go to war for France. Now she must convince her father, her friends and her priest that she is telling the truth. But no one believes her. Finally, she sets out on her own, determined to be believed,More...

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Book and lyrics by David Meyers. Music by Scott Michal. Inspired by L. Frank Baum's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Forget the happy ending. There's a new witch in townPeloros, the witchiest witch of them alland since she arrived, things have gone completely haywire in Oz. The Munchkins, Winkies, Quadlings and other Oz folk are running around the Emerald City like they've totally lost their reason. And the Scarecrow with his great brain, the Tin Woodman with his big heart and the Lion with his enormous courage are powerless to stop it. In fact,More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

By Brian Guehring. In merry ol' England, the townspeople are overtaxed and overwhelmed. Luckily, the mysterious outlaw Robin Hood is giving them hope by stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. With many clever disguises, Robin continually tricks the greedy sheriff of Nottingham, his nasty daughter, Luciana, and the evil Prince John.More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

Edited by Deirdre Kelly Lavrakas and Kim Peter Kovac, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. "New Visions/New Voices … has been a vibrant, driving force in the creation of new plays for young people and families for 25 years … With the groundbreaking work of The Yellow BoatMore...

By Ramon Esquivel Even good kids can do bad things. Three high-school sophomoresCisco, Ryker and Rollysneak out in the middle of the night to sabotage the senior prank and frame the freshman class for it. But Amelia, Cisco's best friend from childhood, has other plans for the trio. The foiled prank exposes the group's underlying tension and tests their loyalty to one another. Each person has something to prove.More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. Scripts should be available: mid-December.We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

By Brett Neveu.The Opponent takes a look at the hard scrabble world of boxing from the perspective of a small-time boxing gym owner, the seen-it-all-and-then-some Tremont "Tre" Billiford, and a young up-and-comer, the charismatic and fast-moving Donell Fuseles. Beginning with an ad-hoc training session between the two, Donell seeks motivation, reps and inspiration from Tre for his upcoming fight with rising star Jas Dennis. As Tre and Donell trade barbs, insight and jabs, Donell shows his supreme confidence in his abilities as Tre attempts to keep Donell's sights on the fight and not on Donell's dreams of a lavish career.More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. Scripts should be available: mid-December.We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

Compiled by José Casas. Edited with Christina Marín. Set to be the most comprehensive resource examining Latin@ Theatre for Young Audiences, this book examines the subject material through a variety of entry points. The collection offers 14 of the most acclaimed Latin@ bilingual plays targeting different age ranges, ethnic backgrounds and themes.More...

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By Werner Trieschmann. The last time we saw Sarah, she was the young hero of Paper or Plastic?. There, Sarah was trying her best as a new employee at Puritan Foods, a grocery store with more than a cart full of crazy customers and fellow employees. In Paper or Plastic: The Ice Storm, Sarah is back, but this time she is hastily givenmaybe tricked into?the job of assistant manager. Sarah is happy about the new promotion until she realizes that with great power comes even more grocery store insanity. Did we mention there's an ice storm coming?!More...

Translated and adapted by Greg Leaming. From Georges Feydeau's Le Dindon. Lucienne Vatelin is being pursued by the love- struck Eugene Pontagnac, but only when her own husband strays would she pursue a lover of her own. With the arrival of an old lover of Lucienne's husband, Lucienne throws herself into the arms of her husband's best friend to wreak revenge. Meanwhile, an elderly American couple and an assortment of managers, servants and ladies of the evening all arrive at a hotel where a night of mistaken identities keeps everyone from getting what they need. In desperation, Lucienne now seeks revenge in the arms of a family friend, making sure that her husband will catch her in flagrante delicto!More...

By Victoria Sayeg. It's going to take a lot more than a few crackers to balance the monotony of mindless repetition and incessant greed in the life of the Shakespeare-reciting, gluten-intolerant parrot, Pauline. One day, in the midst of a ship-looting-gone-wrong, she flies away, determined to find her own voice and pursue her acting career in Pollywood. After all, a life surrounded by snarky monkeys and grungy pirates and on a constant quest for the crown jewels can ruffle anyone's feathers.More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

By Jeremy Kisling. Based on the story by Tololwa Mollel. Muoma is a beggar. He begs to help other people lighten their worry and stress. One day he runs into Mutu, the princess' attendant, but Mutu cannot linger. She must get back to the princess to help her adorn her hair before she goes to the marketplace. While fixing Princess Kalendi's hair, a weaver bird approaches and asks for a strand to weave into his nest. Kalendi refuses,More...

By Gabriel Jason Dean. Theo Turner is a young cosmologist on the verge. But Theo's "big bang" isn't theoretical. His universe explodes when he and his wife visit his parents with news of an impending adoption, only to discover that Theo's aging parents are meth addicts. The cosmos is no more wondrous than a troubled family improvising its path into the future. Qualities of Starlight is an award-winning twisted comedy about the expansion of the universe and the contraction of a troubled family.More...

Adapted by Eric Coble. From the graphic novels by Tony Lee and Dan Boultwood. Sherlock Holmes is missing, and the streets of London are awash with crime. Who will save the day? The Baker Street Irregularsa gang of street kids hired by Sherlock himself to help solve cases. Now they must band together to prove not only that Sherlock is not dead but also to find the Mayor's missing daughter, untangle a murder mystery from their own past, and face the masked criminal mastermind behind it allMore...

By Scott Elmegreen and Drew Fornarola. Meet Ben. Ben is a 26-year-old investment banker. Ben likes beer, sports and Emily … and Chris. Straight is a provocative new play that deals with fidelity, sexuality and identity in "post-equality" America. Funny, sad, sexy and surprising, this three-character drama takes a hard look at the moral complex of a generation that prides itself on the pretense of acceptance.More...

Book and lyrics by Mark Brown. Music by Paul Mirkovich. From The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding. 1960s British Invasion meets one of the greatest novels ever written! The author of the wildly successful adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days, along with Paul Mirkovich, the musical director of The Voice, has written a new musical adaptation of the classic novel Tom Jones. In this thrilling adventure of the heart, Tom Jones, a charming young man of questionable birth and the ward of Squire Allworthy, is madly in love with Sophie Western and she with him. But when Sophie's father arranges for her to marry Squire Allworthy's loathsome and devious nephew,More...

Availability:This title is not yet in print. We do not have a pre-publication manuscript at this time. Contact the editor for further details.

By Ann Sonneville and Clint Sheffer. From the novel by Jules Verne. We join the prolific naturalist Professor Aronnax, his devoted assistant Conseil and the gritty harpooner Ned Land for an epic journey aboard the Nautilus, the world's first submarine vessel. Forcefully led by the dangerous and enigmatic Captain Nemo on an unprecedented tour of the seven seas, our three heroes are confronted by harrowing challenges, incredible adventure, and a host of most unusual creatures.More...

By Suzan Zeder. Now together for the first time, the three plays of The Ware Trilogy comprise an epic saga of small-town America, told in lyrical language and the visual poetry of American Sign Language. We follow Tuc, a young Deaf boy, on a journey through his childhood: from the fever dream that took his hearing, to the language of nature that he shares with his beloved father, to the Deaf school where his mind explodes with the discovery of sign language.More...

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By Max Bush. Maggie is a talented young artist who is just a couple of months away from graduating high school. As the summer swiftly approaches, she finds herself agonizing over serious life decisions. What is the right path for her future? Should she follow her dreams and become an artist? Or should she do the sensible thing and go to college with her boyfriend, Mike?More...

By Cori Thomas. Five characters stumble toward the possibilities of being seen, being heard and being loved one unusually warm January day in Harlem. Devaun and Jeron are two young African-American men who are looking to earn respect in the neighborhood. Nirmala Singh and her brother, Ishan, run a small neighborhood grocery store. Nirmala's husband, Prasad, has been in a coma for three years after a robbery gone wrong. She can't bring herself to pull the plug even though his doctors say there is no hope for recovery.More...

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Book by Rachel Rockwell. Music by Michael Mahler. Lyrics by Michael Mahler and Rachel Rockwell. Adapted from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. How can you march to the beat of your own drummer when you're still writing the song? Everyone's search for one's authentic self is at the heart of Wonderland: Alice's Rock & Roll Adventure. Carroll's beloved, poetic tale of self-actualization is brought to life by a cast of actor/musicians who create an eclectic, live rock soundtrack as 7-1/2-year-old Alice searches for her own inner musical voice.More...

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Adapted by Jeff Gottesfeld and Elizabeth Wong. From the book by Josh Hanagarne. A play about the power of books, muscles and human kindness. Josh (or Jo, since almost any role can be cast male or female) is the children's librarian at a poor public library facing a huge budget crisis. He's also a power lifter, pumping iron in the library basement and running a video blog about young adult and children's books, weights and life. Kids flock to his unconventional story time and check out books by the dozens. All but one kid, that isa loner named Mr. T (or Ms. T), who has the loud tics of Tourette syndrome.More...